Our world is in a constant state of fluctuation. Literally speaking, the Earth rotates on its axis just over 360 degrees in one day. The speed the Earth is spinning isn’t even static, it is affected by the gravitational pull of the moon (and other geological events) and is therefore slowing down ever so gradually.

Speaking on a societal level, the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 has certainly proved that the structure of our everyday lives is incredibly fragile. A virus, invisible to the naked eye, has wrecked absolute havoc on just about every dimension of existence. It has stolen jobs from us, created financial ruin, divided us politically and spiritually and taken many, many lives. It has called everything into question: How do I go to work? How do I bury my grandmother? How do I get married? Should I have a child? How do I protect myself? How do I protect my neighbor?

As a (non-humanistic) rationalist I have always relished in the works of Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras, Descartes, Kant and the like. While I may not necessarily agree with all of the philosophical premises or ideas that they have discovered, I greatly admire them for their contribution to human thought and culture. Yet, nothing has been more foundational to my philosophical framework as the writings of Søren Kierkegaard.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Kierkegaard’s ultimate rejection of the authority of the Scriptures due to it’s objective propositional truth was erroneous at best and heretical at worst. This does not mean the rest of his work should be rejected, however. In fact, there is quite a lot of wisdom that Kierkegaard has to give the church and us as Christians.

What dimension of a person do you think would be the most offensive to insult? I’m sure that you do not have to think long to come up with a decent list of things: sex, race, economic status, disability, appearance. Some of you might even say that it depends on the person, their personal sensitivities and/or their history of pain.

While I might agree with all of this, I want to make the case that it is something else entirely. Enter: the ad hominem abusive argument. Its very nature is dehumanizing because it focuses in on attacking the person and does not even address the argument itself. From a psychological standpoint, it is the insult behind the insult that really breaks us. Think about it for a minute. What was it about the insult to your sex, race, or disability that really got to you?

Some believe that fate has us on a predetermined path that we create for ourselves based on the culmination of our actions, behaviors, thoughts, history, knowledge, wants, needs, fears, anxieties, desires, passions, perceptions, and the influence of others. Yet, the universe is also governed by what philosophers and mathematicians like to call randomness or ‘chance’. Those who have been lucky enough to encounter such an event in their life claim that it presents an opportunity that can completely flood the worn road of fate.

I used to be a skeptic of such once-in-a-lifetime events. It wasn’t until chance herself showed up one night and took me by storm that I was able to understand her power and mystery.

In our quest to bring ‘peace’ and ‘love’ to individuals, societies and nations, we have created a culture where people’s opinions are more important than truth. Those of us who once held to the truth have given into the onslaught of relativism, post-modernity and individualism. We have unwittingly accepted that catering to the needs and divergent worldviews (wrong or not) of others is humanity’s chief ambition, forgetting ourselves in the process. Time and knowledge have corroded our thoughts and perceptions.

There is obvious benefit to discussions between ideologically opposed peoples. We are able to see the perspective of another and understand how their mind relates and thinks about the world. We may even decide that their ideas are “superior” to ours, and integrate their thinking on the subject into our own worldview. There is a sincere need to respect, love and have empathy for others with differing opinions. This is not in contention.

What we really need to think about is what Jesus came to this Earth to do.

I find myself frequently yearning for a fresh start. A time where my past doesn’t exist, or is at least forgotten. Where my errors, and old perspectives are inconsequential and only my present experience and future outlook matters.

I delete old blog posts, text messages, emails, internet history, and music, all out of a desire to create my own existential ‘newness’. To take myself back to a place of innocence, a place I can ‘start over’ again.

The feeling I am trying to capture is almost similar to what happens when you move far away from your home. No one knows you. Your history, your mistakes. You can create something new. A new identity. And you can make it whatever you want. The difference is that I desire that feeling with the people closest to me.

And that’s where I’ve been wrong.